Lili Wang, M.D., Ph.D.
Duarte Cancer Center
Duarte, CA 91010
2003, Ph.D., Immunology, Tokai University
1998, MS, Immunology, China Medical University
1994, M.D., China Medical University
2003-2008, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
2008-2013, Division of Hematologic Neoplasia, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
2023-present, Professor, Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA
2017-2023, Associate Professor, Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA
2013-2017, Instructor, Division of Hematologic Neoplasia, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Dr. Wang’s laboratory focuses on understanding how splicing factor mutations and RNA epigenetics dysregulation contributing to splicing dysregulation and lymphoma biology with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and mantle cell lymphoma as disease models. The ultimate goal is to discover novel prognostic markers and to design better therapeutic approaches.
Dissecting RNA splicing factor mutations in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). One of the findings from the cancer genome sequencing of CLL is the discovery of high frequency mutations in the RNA splicing factor SF3B1. Dr. Wang demonstrated how these splicing factor mutations impact RNA splicing and resulted in functional changes on multiple CLL-associated pathways using cell lines and clinical samples characterization (Wang L et al Cancer Cell 2016, cover image). Dr. Wang’s group established faithful murine CLL models based on Sf3b1 mutation and other genetic lesions (Yin et al Cancer Cell 2019, cover image)(Zhang et al Blood 2020) (Iyer et al Blood 2021).
Discovering novel drivers and pathways in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Dr. Wang’s group defined genetic landscape of MCL and clustered patients into four groups based on shared genetic features, each with distinct gene expression signature and clinical outcomes (Yi et al Journal of Clinical Investigation 2022, cover image).
- Cusan M, Shen H, Zhang B, Liao A, Yang L, Jin M, Fernandez M, Iyer P, Wu Y, Hart K, Gutierrez C, Nik S, Pruett-Miller SM, Stark J, Obeng E, Bowman TV, Wu CJ, Lin RJ, Wang L. SF3B1 mutation and ATM deletion co-drive leukemogenesis via centromeric R-loop dysregulation. J Clin Invest 2023.
- Wu Y, Jin M, Fernandez M, Fernandez M, Hart KL, Liao A, Ge X, Fernandes SM, McDonald T, Chen Z, Röth D, Ghoda LY, Marcucci G, Kalkum M, Pillai RK, Danilov AV, Li JJ, Chen J, Brown JR, Rosen ST, Siddiqi T, Wang L. METTL3-mediated m6A modification controls splicing factor abundance and contributes to aggressive CLL. Blood Cancer Discov. 2023 4(3):228-245. PMCID: 37067905.
- Yi S, Yan Y, Jin M, Bhattacharya S, Wang Y, Wu Y, Yang L, Gine E, Clot G, Chen L, Yu Y, Zou D, Wang J, Phan A, Cui R, Li F, Sun Q, Zhai Q, Wang T, Yu Z, Liu L, Liu W, Lyv R, Sui W, Huang W, Xiong W, Wang H, Li C, Xiao Z, Hao M, Wang J, Chen gT, Bea S, Herrera A, Danilov A, Campo E, Ngo V, Qiu L, Wang L. Genomic and transcriptomic profiling reveals distinct molecular subsets associated with outcomes in mantle cell lymphoma. J Clin Invest 2022. Feb 1; 132(3). PMCID: 8803323.
- Yin S, Gambe R, Sun, J, Martinez, AZ, Cartun JZ, Regis, F, Wan Y, Fan, J, Brooks, AN, Herman SE, ten Hacken E, Taylor-Weiner, A, Rassenti L, Ghia EM, Kipps TJ, Obeng EA, Cibulaskis C, Neuberg D, Campagna DR, Fleming MD, Ebert BL, Wiestner A, Leshchiner I, DeCaprio JA, Getz G, Reed R, Carrasco RD, Wu CJ, Wang L. A murine model of chronic lymphocytic leukemia based on B cell-restricted expression of Sf3b1 mutation and Atm deletion. Cancer Cell 2019 35(2):283-296.
- Wang L, Fan J, Francis J, Zhang C, Herger S, Gambe R, Li S, Zhou C, Yang C, Xiao S, Dal Cin P, Bowden M, Kotliar D, Shukla S, Brown JR, Neuberg D, Livak KJ, Kharchenko PV, Wu CJ. Integrated single-cell genetic and transcriptional analysis suggests novel drivers of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Genome Res 2017 27 1-13
- Wang L, Brooks AL, Fan J, Wan Y, Gambe R, Li S, Hergert S, Freeman SS, Levin JZ, Fan L, Seiler M, Buonamici S, Smith PG, Chau KF, Cibulskis CL, Zhang W, Rassent LZ, Ghia EM, Kipps TJ, Fernandes S, Bloch DB, Kotliar D, Landau DA, Shukla S, Aster JC, Reed R, DeLuca DS, Brown JR, Neuberg D, Getz G, Livak KJ, Meyerson MM, Kharchenko PV, Wu CJ. Transcriptomic characterization of SF3B1 mutation reveals its pleiotropic effects in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Cancer Cell. 2016 30(5): 750-763.
- Wang L, Shalek AK, Lawrence MS, Gaublomme JT, Pochet N, Stojanov P, Sougnez C, Stevenson K, Neuberg D, Cibulskis K, Zhang W, Sievers QL, Vartanov AR, Goldstein NR, Sutton A, Van de Peer Y, Gabriel S, He X, Lander ES, Hacohen N, Regev A, Getz G, Brown JR, Park H, Wu CJ. Somatic mutation as a mechanism of Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation in CLL. Blood 2014 124(7):1089-98. PMC4133483
- Wang L, Lawrence MS, Wan Y, Stojanov P, Sougnez C, Stevenson K, Werner L, Sivachenko A, Deluca DS, Zhang L, Zhang W, Vartanov AR, Fernandes SM, Goldstein NR, Folco EG, Cibulskis K, Tesar B, Sievers QL, Shefler E, Gabriel S, Hacohen N, Reed R, Meyerson M, Golub TR, Lander ES, Neuberg D, Brown JR, Getz G, Wu CJ. SF3B1 and other novel cancer genes in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. N Engl J Med, 2011 365(26):2497-506. PMC3685413